Back to Me (Fantasia Barrino album)

Back to Me
Studio album by Fantasia Barrino
Released	August 24, 2010[1]
Recorded	2008–2010
Genre	R&B soul
Length	47:20
Label	J
Producer	Chuck Harmony Rykeyz Los Da Mystro Claude Kelly Ne-Yo Rico Love Jim Jonsin Pop & Oak Stereotypes
Fantasia Barrino chronology
Fantasia (2006) Back to Me (2010) Side Effects of You (2013)
Singles from Back to Me
"Bittersweet" Released: May 11, 2010 "I'm Doin' Me" Released: September 28, 2010 "Collard Greens & Cornbread[2]" Released: April 11, 2011

Back to Me is the third studio album by American singer and songwriter Fantasia Barrino. It was released on August 24, 2010, by J Records.^[3] The album is her first studio album in four years since 2006's Fantasia. The album's title was suggested to her by comedian Steve Harvey, when Barrino visited his morning radio program.^[4] The album sold 117,000 in its first week, debuting at number two on the US Billboard 200 and at number one on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, making it Fantasia's highest charting album as of September 2010.^[5]

Background

The album was originally set for release in early 2010,^[6] but after an underperforming first single and numerous leaks, J Records ordered more tracks for the album, postponing the album's release until further studio sessions, and stronger singles were recorded. Her label recruited Claude Kelly to add a more contemporary, commercial sound to the album.^[7] The project's lead single, "Bittersweet" was released to iTunes on May 11, 2010, and was performed live on American Idol, while a new release date was set for July 27, 2010.^[1] The album was again pushed back to August 10, 2010^[8] and finally to August 24, 2010.^[3]

To promote the album, Barrino embarked on her first solo concert tour, Back to Me Tour in the fall of 2010.^[9]

Singles

• "Even Angels", the album's promotional single, was performed on The Oprah Winfrey Show on February 3, 2010.^[10] The single was never promoted after the performance or sent to radio for airplay. It was later featured on Episode 11 of the third season of RuPaul's Drag Race, as part of RuPaul's "Lip sync for your life" song list, in which Barrino was a guest judge.
• "Bittersweet", the album's first official single, was released on May 11, 2010 and then performed the next day on American Idol.^[11] The music video was released on Vevo on June 25, 2010 and featured NFL star Devin Thomas as her love interest.^[12] Fantasia was also a guest on BET's 106 and Park on her birthday, June 30, 2010, to premiere the video internationally.^[13] The track peaked at number one on the U.S. Billboard Adult R&B Chart,^[14] at number seven on the U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and at number 74 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart.^[15] "Bittersweet" is Fantasia's fourth song to reach the Top 10 of the U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, including "Truth Is", "Free Yourself," and "When I See U."
• "I'm Doin' Me", the second "official" single from the album, debuted at number 97 on the U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop songs and peaked at number 11.^[16][17][18]
• "Collard Greens & Cornbread" is the third official single from the album. Fantasia performed the song on American Idol's result night on March 31, 2011.^[19][20] The song was officially released as a radio single on April 11, 2011.^[21] The song debuted on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart at number 73. The single has since peaked at number 47 on the chart.^[22]

Commercial performance

Back to Me sold 117,000 copies in its debut week earning Barrino a number two debut on the US Billboard 200 chart^[23] and a total of 490,000 copies as of April 2013.^[24] Back to Me topped the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. First single "Bittersweet" peaked at number seventy-four on US Billboard Hot 100, number seven on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and number sixty-six in Japan (Japan Hot 100 chart). It sold 90,000 copies. "I'm Doin' Me" debuted at number ninety-seven on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles, but later peaked at number eleven. It also peaked at number sixty on US Billboard Radio Songs chart, selling 29,000 copies.

Critical response

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	(70/100)[25]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[26]
Billboard	(favorable)[27]
The Boston Globe	favorable[28]
Entertainment Weekly	B[29]
Exclaim!	favorable[30]
Los Angeles Times	[31]
Rolling Stone	[32]
Slant Magazine	[33]
The New York Daily News	[34]

Upon its release, Back To Me received generally positive reviews from most music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, it has so far received an average score of 70 based on 7 reviews.^[25]

Ken Capobianco with The Boston Globe called the record "a strong comeback"^[28] and went on to say that "Fantasia has matured [and] appears to be an artist reborn."^[28] Mariel Concepcion with Billboard called it a "soulful, laid-back album with tinges of gospel"^[27] and went on to say "her distinct voice is most enjoyable when singing heartfelt ballads.^[27] Jim Farber with The New York Daily News called it "a wail of a comeback".^[34] He also said it "outperforms the singer's first two works, with meatier hooks, firmer melodies, and a more shrewdly focused point of view."^[34] Mikael Wood with Entertainment Weekly gave it a "B" rating, commenting "Fantasia's rough-hewn vocals shine best on The Thrill Is Gone."^[29] Stephen Thomas Erlewine with AllMusic called it her "most interesting album", and commented saying that she was "reconnecting with her roots."^[26]

However, Jonathan Keefe of Slant Magazine stated "the material [Fantasia] has been saddled with has been extraordinarily awful" but still described her positively as an "uninhibited, intuitive soul singer with a truly distinctive sense of phrasing and boundless passion".^[33]

The album received a Grammy Award nomination for Best R&B Album.

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Note	Length
1.	"I'm Doin' Me"	Charles Harmon, Claude Kelly		3:56
2.	"Bittersweet"	Charles Harmon, Claude Kelly		3:58
3.	"Man of the House"	Shaffer Smith, Ryan Williamson		3:20
4.	"Who's Been Lovin' You?"	Carlos McKinney, Rico Love		3:38
5.	"Collard Greens & Cornbread"	Warren 'Oak' Fleder, "Pop" Wansel, Tiwa Savage, Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson		3:52
6.	"Teach Me"	Fantasia Barrino, James Ho, kawan Prather, Jessyca Wilson,		4:12
7.	"Move on Me"	Fantasia Barrino, James Ho, kawan Prather, Jessyca Wilson		4:08
8.	"Trust Him"	Alonzo Mario Steveson, Tiffany Vilarrea, Tony Reyes, Herbert Rooney		3:12
9.	"The Thrill Is Gone" (featuring Cee-Lo Green)	James Ho, kawan Prather, Jessyca Wilson, Thomas Callaway, Burt Bacharach		3:38
10.	"Falling in Love Tonight"	Rico Love, James Scheffer, Daniel Morris		3:58
11.	"Even Angels"	Jeremy Reeves, Ray Romulus, Jonathan Yip, Heather Bright		3:52
12.	"I'm Here"	Brenda Russell, Allee Willis, Stephen Bray	from The Color Purple musical	5:28
Total length:				45:59

Japan bonus track[35]
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
13.	"The Worst Part Is Over"	Claude Kelly, Warren Fleder	3:15

Notes

• "Move on Me" was previously recorded by a girl group RichGirl in 2008 but never officially released.^[36]

Personnel

• Chris Athens – mastering
• Warren Luening, Larry Hall, Rick Baptist – trumpet
• Yelena Yergorian, Josefina Vergara, Tammy Hatwan, Julie Rogers, Katia Popov, Searmi Park, Alyssa Park, Sid Page, Natalie Leggett, Neel Hammond, Henry Gronnier, Caroline Campbell, Charlie Bisharat – violin
• Derek Blanks – photography
• Jesse Bond, James Harrah – guitar
• Stephen Bray, Brenda Russell, Allee Willis – producer
• Tanisha Broadwater, Donnie Meadows, Kimberly L. Smith, David "Touch" Wright – production coordination
• Robert Brophy, Brian Dembow, Thomas Diener, Alma Fernandez – viola
• Ndugu Chancler – drums
• Benjamin Chang, Jaymz Hardy-Martin III, Mike "TrakGuru" Johnson, Scott Naughton – engineer
• Giovanna Clayton, Steve Erdody, Vanessa Freebairn-Smith, Tim Loo – celli
• Los DaMystro – conductor, producer
• Bruce Dukov – concert master, violin
• Warren Felder, Fantasia, Claude Kelly, Tiffany Villarreal, Andrew Wansel – backing vocals
• Frank Filipetti, Carlton Lynn, Robert – engineer, mixing
• Ashanti "The Mad Violinist" Floyd – cello, viola, violin
• Moses Gallart, Jesus Garnica, Chad Jolley, Giancarlo Lino, Conrad Martin, Aaron Walk, Jason Wilkie – assistant
• Erwin Gorostiza – creative director
• Chuck Harmony – bass, drums, guitar, producer, vocal producer
• Dan Higgins, Greg Huckins, Joel Peskin – clarinet
• Alex Iles, Bill Reichenbach, Reggie Young – trombone

Jaycen Joshua – mixing

• Alphonso Johnson – bass
• Jim Jonsin – keyboards, producer, programming
• Joseph Joubert – arranger, conductor
• Rico Love – producer, vocal producer
• Graham Marsh – engineer, vocal engineer
• Deaundra Metzger – hair stylist
• Joe Mitchell – percussion
• Danny Morris – keyboards
• Keith Naftaly – A&R
• Ne-Yo – producer, backing vocals
• Greg Phillinganes – organ, synthesizer
• Tony Reyes – bass, guitar
• Victor Simonson – piano
• Lucky Smyler – make-up
• The Stereotypes – engineer, producer
• Denise Trotman – art direction, design
• Julian Vasquez – vocal engineer
• Pamela Watson – stylist
• Gina Zimmitti – contractor

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2010) Peak position US Billboard 200[37] 2 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[38] 1

Year-end charts Chart (2010) Position US Billboard 200[39] 105 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums[40] 30 Chart (2011) Position US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums[41] 51

References

1. Mansfield, Brian (June 14, 2010). "New Fantasia album due July 27 – Idol Chatter: American Idol News, Rumors, & Information". USA Today. Retrieved August 24, 2010.
2. "Fantasia to Perform New Single on 'American Idol'". The Boombox. April 1, 2010. Retrieved April 1, 2010.
3. "ohnotheydidnt: Fantasia Barrino's Album Still Set for Release on August 24". ohnotheydidnt.com. Retrieved August 24, 2010.
4. "FANTASIA TO RELEASE NEW ALBUM, BACK TO ME, ON AUGUST 10TH". fantasiaofficial. Archived from the original on July 15, 2010. Retrieved June 16, 2010.
5. "Katy Perry Doubles Up No. 1s on Billboard 200, Digital Songs Charts". Billboard. September 1, 2010. Archived from the original on August 31, 2010. Retrieved September 1, 2010.
6. "FANTASIA PREPS NEW ALBUM FOR 2010!". globalgrind.com. Retrieved August 24, 2010.
7. "SongwriterUniverse – Claude Kelly Article". songwriteruniverse.com. Retrieved August 24, 2010.
8. "Say What: Fantasia Shoots For August, Credits Steve Harvey". blog.singersroom.com. Retrieved August 24, 2010.
9. "Fantasia Announces Back To Me Tour". Fantasia Barrino's Official Website. Sony Music Entertainment. September 28, 2010. Archived from the original on December 31, 2010. Retrieved December 8, 2010.
10. "Fantasia Barrino's Comeback - Oprah.com". Oprah.com. Retrieved August 24, 2010.
11. "Fantasia Performs 'Bittersweet' On Idol". thatgrapejuice.net. Retrieved August 24, 2010.
12. "Fantasia On "106 & Park" Video". vodpod.com. Retrieved August 24, 2010.
13. "Video: Fantasia On 106 And Park". entertainmentrundown.com. Archived from the original on September 2, 2010. Retrieved August 24, 2010.
14. "Fantasia Moves Forward Despite Personal Challenges". Billboard.com. September 14, 2009. Retrieved January 15, 2012.
15. "Bittersweet – Fantasia". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 24, 2010. Retrieved August 24, 2010.
16. "Fantasia Music News & Info". Billboard. September 2, 2010. Archived from the original on September 1, 2010. Retrieved September 2, 2010.
17. "Fantasia Debuts Next Single, 'I'm Doin' Me' on Upcoming TV Appearances". MJ's Big Blog. September 1, 2010. Archived from the original on September 4, 2010. Retrieved September 2, 2010.
18. Reiher, Andrea (September 2, 2010). "Fantasia debuting new single 'I'm Doin' Me,' Asia'h Epperson to be charged with battery". Zap2it. Retrieved September 2, 2010 http://www.billboard.com/artist/1496871/fantasia/chart. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
19. "Fantasia Back on American Idol Stage". Your Daily News Fix. April 1, 2010. Retrieved April 1, 2010.
20. "Fantasia Barrino – Fantasia Barrino Wows In American Idol Return". Dime Wars. April 1, 2010. Retrieved April 1, 2010.
21. "Fantasia's "Collard Greens And Cornbread" Goes to Radio April 11". March 30, 2011. |first1= missing |last1= in Authors list (help)
22. Billboard chart – Collard Greens & Cornbread
23. http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/956562/katy-perry-doubles-up-no-1s-on-billboard-200-digital-songs-charts
24. "Fantasia Talks 'Side Effects of You' Album & Confidence". Retrieved July 3, 2013.
25. "Back To Me reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on August 16, 2010. Retrieved August 24, 2010.
26. "AllMusic ((( Back to Me > Overview )))". AllMusic. Retrieved July 14, 2010.
27. Concepcion, Mariel (August 13, 2010). "Fantasia, "Back to Me"". Billboard. Retrieved August 24, 2010.
28. Capobianco, Ken (August 11, 2010). "Fantasia, 'Back to Me' – The Boston Globe". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on August 27, 2010. Retrieved August 15, 2010.
29. Wood, Mikael (August 11, 2010). "Back To Me (2010)". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on August 15, 2010. Retrieved August 15, 2010.
30. Bauer, Matt. "Fantasia – Back to Me". Exclaim!. exclaim.ca. Archived from the original on April 3, 2013. Retrieved April 3, 2013.
31. "Pop & Hiss". The Los Angeles Times. August 23, 2010.
32. Michaelangelo Matos (August 23, 2010). "Back to Me | Album Reviews". Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 15, 2012.
33. Keefe, Jonathan (August 23, 2010). "Fantasia: Back To Me". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on August 26, 2010. Retrieved August 24, 2010.
34. Farber, Jim (August 10, 2010). "Fantasia Barrino 'Back to Me' review: 'American Idol' winner makes a wail of a comeback album". New York: NY Daily News. Archived from the original on August 18, 2010. Retrieved August 15, 2010.
35. "Japanese Release". HMV Japan. Archived from the original on August 24, 2010. Retrieved August 24, 2010.
36. "RICHGIRL – MOVE ON ME (FEAT. FANTASIA) (CAN YOU AFFORD ME MIXTAPE 2012)". PBTube. Retrieved April 1, 2012.
37. "Fantasia – Chart history" Billboard 200 for Fantasia.
38. "Fantasia – Chart history" Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums for Fantasia.
39. "2010 Year-End Charts – Billboard 200 Albums". Billboard. Retrieved April 26, 2016.
40. "2010 Year-End Charts – Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums". Billboard. Retrieved April 26, 2016.
41. "2011 Year-End Charts – Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums". Billboard. Retrieved April 26, 2016.